Disconnect plug for electric device



May 28, 1963 J. SNIKKERS 3,091,747

DISCONNECT PLUG FOR ELECTRIC DEVICE Filed April 12, 1960 INVENTOR JAN SNIKKERS.

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United States Patent 3,091,747 DHSCONNECT PLUG FOR ELECTRHS DEVICE Jan Snikkers, Oliemolenstraat, Drachten, Netherlands, as-

signor to North American Philips Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 21,826 Claims priority, application Netherlands Apr. 23, 1959 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-61) The invention relates to a plug connection comprising a plug and a receptacle, of which one is provided with at least one spring with extensions, which are located in recesses of the other part when the two parts engage each other, these recesses constituting shoulders for the extensions to ensure that only by the relative approach of the extensions the plug connection can be disengaged.

In a known embodiment of the aforesaid plug connection the spring is located on the outer side. Since there is a space between the spring and the further part of the plug or the receptacle, the spring can be compressed to establish the connection or to interrupt it.

In accordance with the invention the plug or the receptacle provided with the spring(s) consists of a body of readily deformable material, for example, rubber or a thermo-plastic synthetic substance, such as polyvinylchloride, in which the spring(s) is (are) embedded while the extensions project from the body.

The structure according to the invention provides the advantage of an attractive appearance, while excessive deformation of the spring is practically impossible, since it is embedded in the deformable material. Moreover, the connection of the spring to the body of deformable material is thus very simple and the possibility of the spring being caught somewhere is considerably reduced.

In order to facilitate the compression of the spring(s), the body is provided with cavities. Also, according to this invention if the conductor connected with the plug or the receptacle were pulled with such a force that this conductor would be broken, the plug connection disengages automatically.

The spring may be made of one piece with two or more extensions. The invention also relates to two separate springs, provided each with one extension.

The invention will be described more fully with reference to one embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a plug and receptacle according to the invention taken on line I-I, FIG. 3.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2a is a side elevation of the pin socket illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 3 is a front view (of the plug only) in the direction of the arrows of line III-III FIG. 2.

In a body 1, of resilient thermo-plastic synthetic substance, is embedded a spring 2, made of one piece of material and having a ring 3 and opposite resilient tags 4. These tags terminate in extensions 5, which project "ice from the body 1. The body 1 is provided with cavities 6, located between the tags 4 and defined by body portions 1b and 1c. The body 1 has furthermore pin sockets 7, which are connected to electric conductors received in opening 8. By compressing the body 1 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1, the extensions 5 are brought toward each other to an extent such that the front end 9 of the body can be inserted into a corresponding opening of a receptacle 20, FIG. 1 having conventional male pins 20a. By disengaging the body 1 the extensions 5 occupy their initial positions, so that they arrive in recesses 10 and will grip behind shoulders 11. To prevent over-insertion shoulders 1a are provided. Thus an efiicacious connection is obtained. The spring 2 may be made of metal or of a like characteristic thermoplastic material (oriented polypropylene, polystyrene). In the latter case there is no risk of short-circuiting.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved disconnect plug for an electric device having a socketed end wall and a recess in said end wall opening into the socket and defining a shoulder surface on the interior side of said end wall, a deformable plug comprising a substantially hollow body of insulating material, said plug having a reduced end portion adapted to be sealingly received within said socket and said end portion terminating in a plug shoulder stop, resilient means normally urged outwardly from the axis of said plug embedded in said body, an extension of said resilient means protruding from said reduced portion remote from said shouldered stop, said extension of said resilient means being receivable in said recess when said plug is properly inserted in said socket whereby said shoulder stop is intimately engaged against the end Wall of said device and the plug is thus sealingly and rigidly operatively secured with said device, pin socket means embedded in said body member centrally thereof, and a pair of longitudinally extending cavities within said body member intermediate said pin socket means and said spring means whereby said body is readily deformable within determined deformation limits.

2. A disconnect plug according to claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a member of resilient material having a ring at one end, at least one tag means extending therefrom at an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said ring, said tag means having a generally U shaped bend adjacent the end thereof remote from said ring and the terminal leg of said U shaped bend having a reverse bend defining an extension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,739,019 Smith Dec. 10, 1929 2,170,131 Doremus Aug. 22, 1939 2,235,020 Jones Mar. 18, 1941 2,801,399 Dunn et al July 30, 1957 2,869,100 Adams Jan. 13, 1959 3,016,511 Unger Jan. 9, 962 

1. AN IMPROVED DISCONNECT PLUG FOR AN ELECTRIC DEVICE HAVING A SOCKETED END WALL AND A RECESS IN SAID END WALL OPENING INTO THE SOCKET AND DEFINING A SHOULDER SURFACE ON THE INTERIOR SIDE OF SAID END WALL, A DEFORMABLE PLUG COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW BODY OF INSULATING MATERIAL, SAID PLUG HAVING A REDUCED END PORTION ADAPTED TO BE SEALINGLY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID SOCKET AND SAID END PORTION TERMINATING IN A PLUG SHOULDER STOP, RESILIENT MEANS NORMALLY URGED OUTWARDLY FROM THE AXIS OF SAID PLUG EMBEDDED IN SAID BODY, AS EXTENSION OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS PROTRUDING FROM SAID REDUCED PORTION REMOTE FROM SAID SHOULDERED STOP, SAID EXTENSION OF SAID RESILIENT 